Firewood
Firewood: The Firewood tree does not belong to the Ironwood family though interacts with flora of that family frequently; the Firewood belongs to the family of core Essence Trees and functions much the same as others with the exception of its form and method of essence production. The Firewood collects sunlight and grows much like other trees save for its' wide and expansive trunk. The Firewood's leaves are perpetual hues of red and orange – collecting sunlight with a tall and wide canopy. This sunlight is then used to sustain the trees life while additionally aiding in the production of fire essence, While miniscule, the fire essence collected through its' leaves continues to collect over time, this production is catalyzed through the use of arcane which – like other Essence Trees – is produced through the collection and conversion of Mana. The bark of the Firewood is dark mahogany-red and small red veins of fire essence cause it to glow dimly in the dark. This tree grows most often in areas naturally rich in fire and wind essence such as canyons and wasteland, though may be found naturally in well-forested or even snowy areas. The roots of the Firewood stretch out wide, warming the ground around it often causing the blossom of fire-based flora — additionally, the Firewood is notorious for its attraction of fire elementals which is far stronger than other Essence Trees. In relation to the Ironwood family, the Firewood tree provides an extremely abundant and continuous source of elemental fire which is tapped into by plants such as the Ore-Vine. It is very common, in-fact, for a Firewood to become the epicenter of an Ironwood cropping which – in turn - attracts more fire elementals. Similar to the other Essence Trees, the Firewood continuously spawns very small fire nodes which collect essence and grow; unlike other nodes, these nodes are often quickly consumed by near-by elementals or absorbed into Ironwood plants. Those that do escape, however, move throughout the environment, depositing and collecting fire essence as it travels. . Another function of the Firewood is as a breeding ground for the Flamefly, an elemental insect which grows in the deep protected crevices of the Firewood, coming out usually at night when the tree sleeps. These Flameflies feed on the tree's emitted fire essence which is then carried and dispersed to other parts of the ecosystem either through predatory consumption or floral absorption, in-return Flameflies provide a natural means of defense for the Firewood, swarming at would-be attackers, causing severe burns and igniting fur and/or clothing. The bark of the Firewood is entirely fireproof, capable of withstanding most any amount of flame and/or heat both arcane and natural. This bark is, additionally, very strong and can be used as a reagent for potions or as armor. Additionally, Flameflies are also an incredibly useful yet lucrative reagent which can be used to create ointments for treating burns or for providing protection from burns. The Firewood is one of the most well-protected among the Essence Trees due to the presence various fire-based entities in-addition to its' symbiotic relationship with plants of the Ironwood family; the Ore-Vine in-specific is known for creating a thick metallic webbing round the trunk or the entirety of the Firewood, protecting it and its' bark.